Crimes during the Cold War: Blaftanttology of Tamil pulp in English transports one back to the era of immediate excitement.
At this age of digital content and books on Kindle, spending time is relatively easy. In Madras, however, there was a phase of 80 and 90. It was practical and using an indication-English expression, a good time pass! These Tamil novels would literally fit into the shirt pocket. However, because of the length they could stand out a little; Yet portability was easy. And it was not a rocket science to call these books “pocket novels”. The ease of access to these little Tomes was similar to holding the boulevard as half the day or afternoon sending and a courier in a wrapped suburban train in Mumbai.
Rooted in mystery
There was a group of writers who excelled in the crafts of whirling novels. Rajesh Kumar, Subha (the only name for the creative partnership between two authors, D. Suresh and Balakrishnan), Pattukottai Prabhakar and many others were popular. The tenor of these books would often concentrate around the secrets. The murder and robbery were spine and the perpetrators would be persecuted by the protagonists. For example, Rajesh leaned on his main couple Vivek and Rubella, a detective couple.
Vivek was in Sherlock Holmes, while Rubella played Watson’s person, asking questions, and through the answers she had fetched, readers gained clarity. The journey or train to the interior meant that these novels were considered essential. If Tinkle was popular in childhood, adolescence meant a departure to these harsh novels in the folk list. Almost all of them were well written, they had descriptive air, and each chapter ended with a hook that let you look for more. It’s like a trope that you get in TV series nowadays, but without bulging eyes and an excessive background score.
Social commentary
These books were not just Whodunity; There was also a social commentary and awareness of how Madras expanded. Some of these authors provided sources. These books, which often left in the neighborhood of Vethilapakku Kadai, did not cost much and offered the afternoon a pleasure in reading. They still exist and gather dust, as the reading has decreased. Look around the corners of the magazines to notice these pocket novels. And for those who can’t read Tamil, there is always an anthology of Tamil pulp that enjoying it. It will transport you back to the era where the nest on the sparkling pages has been immediately excited.
Published – 27 April 2025 22:33
